In the coming decades, there will be an increased number of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), who will have tremendous influence on healthcare . Dr. Kelly Goudreau, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, editor ofHealth Policy and Advanced Practice Nursing: Impact and Implications, discusses how the Affordable Care Act will impact APRNs and how APRNs can become involved with health policy.

This view of health policy from the perspective of APRN practice is a call to action for advanced practice nurses to learn about the impact and implications of current initiatives in health policy. This knowledge will assist them in determining how they define and create positive change for their patients and have an impact on community, national, and world health. This is the only text that satisfies the need for policy discussions for all APNs , it is designed to meet the requirements of both the IOM report on The Future of Nursing and the DNP criteria V for inclusion of health policy and advocacy in the curriculum. The text encompasses evolving health care policy and reform in the U.S., Canada, and internationally, addressing its impact on advanced practice nursing, APRN roles, care for special populations, health care quality, and patient safety.

About the Editor

Kelly A. Goudreau, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, is Associate Director for Patient Care Services/Nurse Executive, Veterans Affairs Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (VA SORCC), White City, OR. She is Associate Editor for Clinical Nurse Specialist: The Journal of Advanced Nursing Practice, Immediate Past President, past Secretary and current Board Member of the NACNS. She taught in the CNS program at the University of Portland (2000-2001), has worked clinically as a CNS in a wide variety of specialties, and has held a variety of positions including consultant, director of nursing, and nurse administrator. Among other honors and awards, Dr. Goudreau has received honors from the Oregon Nurses Association for four years of service as Chair of the OR Council of CNS. She has published more than 30 journal articles and is co-editor of Foundations of Clinical Nurse Specialist Practice (with Drs. Fulton & Lyon), published by Springer (2009).